Danish police want to question Pearl Jam over concert deaths

July 25, 2000
Web posted at: 1:55 p.m. EDT (1755 GMT)

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (CNN) -- Danish police are still investigating the deaths of nine people at a Pearl Jam concert and now want to talk to the Seattle rock band.

Eight young men suffocated at the scene and another died of injuries a few days later as fans crowded in to hear the band June 30 at the Roskilde Festival in Roskilde, 25 miles west of Copenhagen.

Although a July 17 report exonerated the band and the organizers, Roskilde Police Chief Constable Uffe Kornerup told CNN Tuesday that police had questions for Pearl Jam.

"This is not a criminal investigation," Kornerup said. "We only want to gather information about what happened."

He said police want to find out more about the concert from the band's point of view and whether the band took longer than necessary to end the show once the crowd became unruly. Kornerup said police were planning a meeting with an attorney for the band.

There was no immediate comment from the band.

The tragedy occurred after about 50,000 fans surged toward the stage. The nine victims and most of the 25 people injured were from Denmark, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia.

It was the first major accident in the history of the four-day festival, which was first held in 1971 and was inspired by the 1969 Woodstock Festival in upstate New York.

CNN Correspondent Mads Scheibel contributed to this report.

Statement from Pearl Jam in Response to Roskilde Festival Tragedy (www.pearljam.com)

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